Barrel



BARREL T. M. NOLAN ETAL Filed May 20, 1965 Nov. 28, 1967 Wm a T l aUnited States Patent C) 3,355,049 BARREL Terence M. Nolan, Philadelphia,and David J. Trevarrow,

Jr., Maple Glen, Pa., assignors to Kelsey-Hayes Company, a corporationof Delaware Filed May 20, 1965, Ser. No. 457,317 2 Claims. (Cl. 220-5)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application disc-loses an improvedbarrel construction comprised of a thin wall sheet metal containerhaving resilient elastomer shock supports at its opposite ends. Theseshock supports extend radially beyond the outer shell of the containerand beyond the container end walls to preclude damage to the containerunder rough handling conditions.

This invention relates to a container and more particular-1y to a barrelformed as a composite structure.

It is desirable to form a container from as thin a material as practicalto reduce the cost of the container and to minimize its weight. Thinwall containers are normally formed with flanges or chines at their endsto reinforce the structure and to provide a support for the container.

A barrel is a typical example of a container construction wherein chinesor flanges are formed at the ends to provide a supporting portion and toreinforce the ends of the container. Since heads of a barrel aregenerally not flat, it is impossible to support the barrel directly upontheir heads.

The provision of reinforcing and supporting chines at the ends ofcontainers, particularly barrels, has several disadvantages. If thecontainer is re-used frequently, the chines will become bent due tocareless handling and the entire barrel becomes useless unless it can berepaired. In addition, the formation of the chines at the ends of thebarrel adds to the barrel cost since additional forming operations arerequired. If the barrel is formed from a corrosion resistant material,as is necessary in the transportation of certain fluids, the chinesnormally are formed from the same material, even though the corosionresisting properties are not required at the chines. If different metalsare used, expensive welding techniques are required to weld the chine tothe corrosion resistant shell.

In certain types of barrels supporting flanges are sup ported at theends of the barrel and flange-like rings are formed in the sides of thebarrel so that it may be rolled. The supporting flanges and rollingflanges normally are formed integrally with the shell of the barrel andhence cause the internal surface of the barrel to be other than a smoothsurface free of discontinuities. The alteration of the internal shape ofthe barrel has several undesirable results.

Since a barrel is a pressure vessel, it should be formed in such a wayas to eliminate stress concentrations. The supporting and rollingflanges, however, create such stress concentrations. The irregularinternal shape also makes the container more diflicult to clean if it isto be re-used. For some applications the container is provided with aninternal coating, and it is difficult to obtain a uniform coating on theirregular surface. The shape of the supporting flanges normally is suchthat it is difficult to stack the barrels other than directly upon eachother in either a vertical or horizontal position.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide animproved container construction.

3.35am Patented Nov. 28, 1967 It is a further object of this inventionto provide a container with supporting and rolling flanges that has acontinuous inner surface.

As has been noted, containers are subjected to severe handling whenbeing loaded or unloaded. It is not uncommon for a container to bethrown onto the ground from the bed of a truck. Although the containermay be thrown onto a pad, it has a tendency to bounce, particularly ifit is formed from metal. The high resilience of metals causes thecontainers to bounce and aggravates the damage to the container.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a container havingshock absorbing chines for supporting the container.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a barrel havingreplaceable shock supports.

It is an even further object of this invention to provide a barrelhaving resilient end supports.

A container embodying this invention comprises a sidewall and at leastone end wall aifixed to the sidewall. The container is formed ofsubstantially thin wall construction and has no reinforcing chines atthe juncture between the side and end Walls. A resilient shock supportis affixed to one of the walls and extends past the end wall to supportthe container.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparentas this description proceeds particularly when considered in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a barrel embodying this invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a view taken generally in the direction of the line 22 ofFIGURE 1 showing portions in section and other portions in plan view.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, a composite barrel embodyingthis invention is identified generally by the reference numeral 11. Thebarrel 11 comprises a shell 12, a pair of resilient annular end shocksupports 13 and 14, and a pair of resilient roll rings 15.

The shell 12 is formed of a thin wall construction and may be formed ofa corrosion resisting material such as stainless steel or from aplastic, but is preferably in sheet form. Other suitable materials alsomay be employed depending upon the particular application. .The shell 12comprises a generally cylindrical center band 16 to which is secured anelliptical head 17 having a flange 18 that is welded around itsperiphery to one end of the center band 16, as by a weld 19. Theopposite end of the center band 16 is closed by a head 21 having aflange 22 that is welded around its periphery to the other end of thecenter band 16, as by a weld 23. A bung plate 24 is provided at anysuitable location in the center band 16. A tap plug 25 is formed in thehead 21 which may be considered the upper head or end of the barrel 11.It will be noted that the shell 12 is not provided with any reinforcingflanges or supporting chines adjacent the juncture between the heads 17and 21 and the center band 16. The internal surface of the shell is freeof discontinuities due to the use of the elliptical heads andcylindrical center bands and thus no stress concentration areas arepresent. In addition, the smooth uninterrupted internal surface of theshell 12 permits it to be cleaned readily the area adjacent the weldbetween the head flange and the center band 16. The portion 26 extendsto a point adjacent to the weld 19 and extends circumferentially aroundthe flange 18. A depending skirt portion 27 extends from the head 17 andforms an annular supporting surface 28 that is spaced from a lateralplane including the outermost extremity of the head 17 so that when thebarrel 11 is stored in a vertical position, it will be supported uponthe surface 28 without any contact of the head 17 with the floor onwhich the barrel is stored. An outer periphery 29 of the shock supportis also spaced radially outwardly from the flange 18. The surface 29provides some lateral support for the end of the barrel 11 if it isbeing rolled on its edge or if it is desired to tip it over on its side.

The roll rings 15 have an outer periphery 31 of a generally cylindricalshape that extends past the surface 29 of the shock supports 13 and 14.When the barrel 11 is in a horizontal position, it may be rolled alongthe cylindrical surface 31 of the roll rings 15. The roll rings 15 maybe formed from an elastomer material such as rubber and have acylindrical inner surface 32 that contacts the shell 16 around itsperiphery.

The roll rings 15 and shock supports 13 and 14 may be secured, bybonding, to the shell 12 or may be vulcanized to it. It is preferable tovulcanize at least the shock supports 13 and 14 to the shell. Since theyare of an elastomer material, they will not readily become damaged. Ifthey should become damaged, however, they can readily be replacedwithout necessity of replacement of the entire barrel. The shocksupports 13 and 14 are connected to the shell 12 over a relatively largesurface. Any impact forces that are transmitted through the shocksupports 13 and 14 to the shell 12 by dropping of the barrel 11 willthus be reduced to unit loadings which may be readily absorbed by theshell 12 without permanent deformation of it. The shock supports 13 and14 and roll rings 15 additionally protect the entire periphery of theshell 12 including the bung plate 24 so that damage will not occurregardless of how the barrel 11 may be dropped.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shock supports 13 and 14are formed from an 80 durometer rubber and the roll rings 15 are formedfrom a 60 durometer rubber. If the barrel 11 is unloaded from a truck bydropping it onto the ground, the elastomer shock supports 13 and 14 willabsorb the impact loading and prevent excessive bouncing of the barrel11 in addition to protecting the shell 12 from damage, in the mannerpreviously described. The supporting surface 28 also covers a sufiicientarea to permit convenient stacking of the barrels.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of theinvention disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects abovestated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible tomodification, variation and change Without departing from the properscope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A barrel comprising a generally cylindrical center band, first andsecond generally elliptical heads affixed to each end of said centerband around its circumference, said center band and said heads beingformed of a generally thin sheet metal construction devoid ofreinforcing chines at the juncture of said heads with said center band,and a pair of elastomer shock supports, each of said elastomer shocksupports being comprised of a generally cylindrical skirt portionaflixed at one of its ends to a respective one of said heads adjacentthe juncture of said one head with said center band, each of said skirtportions terminating at its other end in a generally circular supportingsurface spaced from the respective head, the outer periphery of each ofsaid skirt portions being spaced radially beyond the circumference ofsaid center band, each of said elastomer shock supports beingsubstantially more resilient than said heads and said center band.

2. A barrel as set forth in claim 1 further including resilient rollbands extending around the periphery of the center band at spacedlongitudinal positions and extending radially therefrom to define aresilient rolling surface for said barrel, said roll rings being formedfrom a material that is substantially more resilient than the materialof the heads and said center band.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,124,565 7/1938 Goll 220-92,983,403 5/1961 Mauser 220-63 2,997,197 8/ 1961 Picker 220-72 X3,158,296 11/1964 Cornelius 222-3865 3,294,271 12/1966 Armbruster 2205THERON E. CONDON, Primary Ex miner.

GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Examiner.

1. A BARREL COMPRISING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL CENTER BAND, FIRST ANDSECOND GENERALLY ELLIPTICAL HEADS AFFIXED TO EACH END TO SAID CENTERBAND AROUND ITS CIRCUMFERENCE, SAID CENTER BAND AND SAID HEADS BEINGFORMED OF A GENERALLY THIN SHEET METAL CONSTRUCTION DEVOID OFREINFORCING CHINES AT THE JUNCTURE OF SAID HEADS WITH SAID CENTER BAND,AND A PAIR OF ELASTOMER SHOCK SUPPORTS, EACH OF SAID ELASTOMER SHOCKSUPPORTS BEING COMPRISED OF A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL SKIRT PORTIONAFFIXED AT ONE OF ITS ENDS TO A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID HEADS ADJACENTTHE JUNCTURE OF SAID